Wednesday, August 1, 2012

IKEA Thrifting Score

If you follow me on Instagram (serenitynowgirl) or Facebook, you may have already seen an update about the awesome thrifting find I scored last week. I couldn't wait to share it here on the blog! In an effort to stay way from bringing extra clutter home, I have a "thrift list." If I was highly organized, it would be a printed list, or even a note on my iPhone...but I keep a running mental list of items I'm on the hunt for at local thrift shops, consignment stores, and yard sales. That doesn't mean I don't occasionally bring home an odd gem or diamond in the rough.
(pretend like you don't notice the shorty short curtains, mkay?)

On a whim, I pulled into the Salvation Army parking lot last Friday and went in. I didn't have the kids with me, so cruising the aisles would be a breeze! I made it halfway through the store when I spotted it:

I've been looking for an IKEA Expedit shelving unit for months and months. Not only was this the finish I wanted (white), it was the large unit, the one that retails for $199.00! I took a deep breath, considered carving my initials in the side, and asked a worker if they had priced the piece yet. She returned a minute later and told me they were listing it at $50. And I had a Visa Gift card in my wallet!

Um, seriously?!

It was all I could do to not do an Elaine Benes dance of joy in the middle of the store, but I kept my cool and said, "Oh, okay, ohmigawshIcan'tbelieveitI'mtotallyfreakingouthere, let me call my husband and see if he can swing by and help me load it up." 

T was not particularly happy about leaving his yard work at home to load a monstrous white shelving unit onto the bed of his truck, but he had the foresight to know that an assembled unit is better than a couple of hours with a box of parts...cursing, tool throwing, and bemoaning the existence of particleboard. 

So we struck a bargain that involved me agreeing to spend our 11th wedding anniversary with his family this Saturday (yes, you did read that correctly), but sometimes you have to make sacrifices for the greater good, this case being a ridiculously wicked thrift deal. I may have also said something about not being a cranky pants about the family dinner thing; but really, all bets are off when you are a woman scorned on your wedding anniversary. There may be a slight chance that I will purchase myself something very nice at the end of all this. So maybe I am a winner after all.


At any rate, the Expedit is taking the place of my glass-topped craft desk, which I know will make some of you sad. The thing is, while the glass table was really pretty, it wasn't large enough to do much work on. I ended up doing a lot of my crafting, sewing, and DIYing on the dining room table.

What we really need is more storage space. Our house is a 1970s Colonial, and I guess people in the 70s didn't have "extra storage" high on their list of priorities. 

Out with the old and in with the new!

Sadly, the light on the top right doesn't work, so I may see if IKEA still carries them. I also need to head up and look at their selection of bins. I plan on using the unit to store toys, puzzles, kid craft stuff, and books.  

So long story short, I am over the moon excited about my fabulous new find! And even more excited that I didn't technically spend any money on it at all because of the gift card. 

Have you come across any great finds lately?

34 comments:

  1. Really awesome find, Amanda! It looks like it was made for the space, too! I'm anxious to see what you do with it. Talk about loads of storage space.

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  2. Woooo you totally scored! I like Expedits but could never bring myself to spend that much on them. So I would have also been calling my husband away from yard work and etching my initials into it. ;)

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  3. You hit the jackpot with that one... nice find!

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  4. Wow... I can't even find a cool lamp when i go to those places. I can totally see why you wanted to do the happy dance. I'll have to start looking this weekend.

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  5. Fabulous score!!!!!!!! Way to go and it looks awesome.

    xox

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  6. I would have totally had to do Elaines Happy Dance, I have no filter!

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  7. Score! Good for you. I love my expedit!!!

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  8. WOW That is AWESOME!!!
    You really really lucked out on that. I love those things. But the only ones i have are the smaller ones and got them just after xmas when they were having a sale on the smalls one for $19.99 got 2 of them. Thats all i could afford at the time. Wished i could have got more. Joanne

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  9. Wow, that is a really awesome find...and with the lights!!! I don't have anywhere to put one that size but I would have racked my brain to figure out a spot. Maybe you'll come across some of the ikea bins/baskets at a garage sale too 'cause those can get expensive at $15 each.

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  10. i'm surprised they wanted to sell it, and not use it for display themselves! amazing find, even if you did have to handle the in laws!

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  11. That is an awesome find Amanda! I'm kind of jealous! I would love something like that to store all my crafty stuff...maybe my craft room wouldn't look like such a disaster if I had one:)

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  12. What a great find! I cannot wait to see it all loaded up and organized to perfection.

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  13. Awesome find!! I would've totally done the happy dance.

    -Erin @ DIY On the Cheap

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  14. That is great that you were able to find that! It really brightens up that area and makes it feel bigger too! Can't wait to see what you use to decorate all those shelves:)

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  15. Don't you just love when you get a deal like that? Kind of makes up for all the times we don't find anything. And not needing to put it together is worth $50, so even without the gift card, it was basically free! ;)

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  16. That's really awesome! Looks great!!! Yes... it's cool to find stuff like that ;)

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  17. SCORE!!! That is some really awesome find. Can't wait to see how you decorate it and which bins you pick from Ikea. I really love Ikea. :)
    Have a great day!

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  18. Great find!!!
    And even better that you (or T) didn't have to put it together!

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  19. LOVE it, girl! Such an amazing thrift find. Even if you have to play nice with the in-laws this weekend as a result. Totally worth it. ; )

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  20. I LOVE the expedits too, but have no where to put one. : ( You have the perfect spot. That's the score of the year. And for free, geez girl! Can't wait to see how you style it. =)

    ~ Catie

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  21. Oh my gosh...what a great score! I love our Expedit bookcase. I love your price more! :) We bought the least expensive boxes we could find from Ikea. There are three in a pack for $14.99: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00186395/#/00186395

    Also, I know you know this, but your dog is so freakin' cute!!

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  22. I have one of these, too!!! Mine is the black brown color. I bought mine from my sister who was moving to California for $100. So, yes, you DID get a great deal! And what a perfect spot for it- I'm gonna keep an eye on you and see what you do with yours (mine holds all our books)!
    You'll have fun and be a blessing on Saturday, now won't you *wink*.
    ~Leslie

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  23. lucky you! can't wait to see how it comes out in the end!

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  24. I love finds that make you want to squeal! I've had a few of them in the last few years and I can't wait for more.
    congrats on your amazing find :)

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  25. TOTALLY jealous!!! That is one amazing deal! Come thrifting with me because you must have awesome luck!

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  26. Score of the year!!! Amazing! Congrats ��.

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  27. Oh my goodness Amanda! I remember seeing this in your instagram feed but I had no idea how huge it was! Woohoo! I'm sad to see your beautifully made over desk go away but I can't believe how perfectly the shelf fits now! Love, love, love it!!!

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  28. What an awesome find! This fits into your space perfectly and is going to give you such a large amount of storage.

    What will you do with your desk?

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  29. Amazing! Great find, I was at Ikea last weekend and they do still sell those lamps, we just purchased the Expedit TV unit...I sure wish we'd found it in a thrift store for $50, but we still love it!

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  30. You scored a fabulous find! Totally envious but thrilled for you. Last Sat. I went yardsaling and my hubby was mad because I found a cabinet for our kitchen and I wanted him to see it. He came but didn't like it. After discussing it at home (teehee) he went back and got it. $10. Needs some work but we saved a couple hundred dollars. And yes, sometimes you are inconvenienced to score a deal!

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  31. You scored a fabulous find! Totally envious but thrilled for you. Last Sat. I went yardsaling and my hubby was mad because I found a cabinet for our kitchen and I wanted him to see it. He came but didn't like it. After discussing it at home (teehee) he went back and got it. $10. Needs some work but we saved a couple hundred dollars. And yes, sometimes you are inconvenienced to score a deal!

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  32. Hi Amanda: My, this is a gigantic storage unit--how cool that you were able to find it. I also like your dog in the last picture--very cute!

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  33. Good for you, Amanda! I know you were so excited to find this. And honestly, T got off light just having to pick it up and bring it home! I love IKEA stuff, but putting it together takes. . . well, a lot of patience. I think it's great there where your desk was! But now I want to know where you put the desk. Do I remember correctly that the desk was an item that you shared back in the time of Kimba's DIY Day? Wow, that was awhile ago, wasn't it? Blogging has changed a bit since then, wouldn't you say? :)

    11 years is a long time to be married--long enough to have a lot of memories and two beautiful children! Congratulations.

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  34. great find, Amanda! Would love to have one of those to put in my spare bedroom!

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